Page 55 of Control

Confusion marred Alana’s features. “What?”

We were standing at her front door, and I’d just brought her home following our date. This question was one I refused to holdmyself back from asking her. “How did it feel to go out on your first romantic date in more than eight months?”

She sent me a questioning look. “This was a romantic date? I wasn’t aware of that.”

I frowned. Had I been reading too much into our interactions with one another? “What did you think this was?”

Alana reached her hand out to my arm and squeezed. “I didn’t mean anything by it, Ty. I just didn’t want to assume it was something more than it was. I mean, I know we both got a bit flirtatious tonight, but I didn’t want to read too much into it and be left feeling disappointed.”

“Disappointed?”

She nodded, her pretty eyes looking at me with such cautious hopefulness. “If I thought this was something more than it was, and you only meant for it to be something fun for us to do. I mean, you asked to take me out as a way to have some fun before I need to return to work. It was sweet and friendly, and I enjoyed myself immensely, but it didn’t indicate anything romantic.”

This was the perfect moment. We were standing at Alana’s front door after our date. I would have opted to do something else after our glassblowing and dinner, but I was worried about pushing her too much with her foot still healing.

Taking a step toward her, I said, “Well, then I obviously need to do something to solidify that this was, in fact, a romantic date.”

Between the words I’d said and the close proximity, Alana understood what was happening. Her lips parted slightly; her chin tipped up. And her chest was rising and falling, indicating the pace of her breathing had increased.

I lifted my hand to the side of her neck, just below her jaw, and I leaned in slowly. The moment was so tense, the pull between us undeniable. My lips brushed against hers briefly, and her hands flew to my chest. And the second I heard awhimper escape, I wrapped my opposite arm around her waist to hold her close and captured her mouth completely.

My thumb stroked lightly along her jaw before my hand drove back into her hair. It settled at the base of her skull as Alana melted into me, her soft lips feeling better than I’d imagined.

I wanted more.

Needed more.

I coaxed her lips apart, my tongue sliding past them and into her mouth to taste her. That, too, was better than I’d imagined.

Alana’s hands were digging in, holding on. She was just as consumed, just as needy.

If I didn’t stop us now, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to stop.

Begrudgingly, only after giving myself just a few more moments to savor the kiss with her, I tore my mouth away and rested my forehead against hers. The fire that had effortlessly built was crackling between us, and one more kiss would only stoke those flames.

I wanted to stay with her. I wanted to go inside and spend the night with her wrapped in my arms.

And there was a part of me that wondered if perhaps she wanted the same thing. She seemed dazed, like she was lost in a daydream, perhaps imagining what it might be like between us.

But despite the expression on her face and the look in her eyes, Alana didn’t invite me in. She didn’t tug on my hand or beg me to stay.

So, I had to go.

Unsure if it was the wisest idea, but unwilling to forego it, I pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. “Goodnight, Alana.”

“Goodnight, Ty. Thank you for giving me my first romantic date in nearly a year.”

I smiled, laughter bubbling up inside me. This woman made me feel so good. I gave her another kiss. “You’re welcome.”

Realizing if I didn’t do it now, it’d only get more difficult to do, I released my hold on her and stepped back.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You will,” I promised her.

I waited there while Alana turned and opened her door. Once she was inside, I made my way back to my vehicle and left.

And on the drive home, like always, my mind was consumed with thoughts of her. Only this time, I could add memories of the way she tasted to the mix. Every time I left her each night, I felt like I’d experienced the best day of my life. Tonight had been no different.

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